1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a strontium iron oxide particle powder, in particular, to a strontium iron oxide perovskite particle powder and process for producing the same, and more specifically, to a strontium iron oxide particle powder high in safety and excellent in workability, which exhibits a large dielectric constant especially when an artificial dielectric material is prepared, making use of electrical conduction by dispersing it in an organic medium such as a rubber and a synthetic resin, in particular, and process for producing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, as a particle powder for use in an artificial dielectric material utilizing electrical conduction, a variety of metal powders such as carbon black have been hitherto used. For example, these artificial dielectric materials are used as a electromagnetic wave absorbing material, making use of frequency dispersion of their dielectric constant in radio frequency region. It is known that as its dielectric constant becomes larger, EM wave absorber becomes thinner.
However, when the above-mentioned carbon black is dispersed in an organic medium such as a rubber to form an artificial dielectric material utilizing electrical conduction, it exhibits a large dielectric constant, but since it comprises fine particles as small as approximately 0.01 to 0.02 xcexcm, and high bulky powders, it tends to become dust, so that it is difficult to be handled, poor in workability and involves problems in safety because of carcinogenesis.
On the other hand, though some of the metal powders satisfy a demand of high safety as well as excellent workability, not indicating carcinogenesis or toxicity, when formed into an artificial dielectric material utilizing their electrical conduction by being dispersed in an organic medium such as a rubber, its dielectric constant is not so large and thus sufficient dielectric characteristics are not obtained.
An object of the present invention is to provide a strontium iron oxide particle powder high in safety and excellent in workability, which exhibits a large dielectric constant especially when an artificial dielectric material is prepared, making use of electrical conduction, by dispersing it in an organic medium such as a rubber and a synthetic resin,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing the above-mentioned strontium iron oxide particle powder.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent for those skilled in the art from the detailed description and explanation given below.
The present inventors have made an extensive series of studies and found out that the above-mentioned objects can be attained by a hollow shape strontium iron particle powder, especially obtained by preparing a mixed aqueous solution having a molar ratio Sr/Fe of 0.95 to 1.20, using a water-soluble strontium compound and an iron compound, drying the mixed aqueous solution to form a mixed powder, and calcining the mixed powder at 700 to 1000xc2x0 C. in an oxygen-containing gas.
The present invention is, in a first aspect, to provide a strontium iron oxide particle powder which is hollow in shape.
In a preferred embodiment, the average particle diameter of the above-mentioned strontium iron oxide particle powder is 2 to 100 xcexcm (claim 2).
In a preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned strontium iron oxide particle powder is for use in an artificial dielectric material (claim 3).
The present invention is, in a second aspect, to provide a process for producing a strontium iron oxide particle powder which comprises the steps of:
preparing a mixed aqueous solution of a water-soluble strontium compound and an iron compound having a molar ratio of Sr/Fe being 0.915 to 1.20,
drying the mixed aqueous solution with a spray dryer to form a mixed powder,
calcining the mixed powder at 700 to 1000xc2x0 C. in an oxygen-containing gas to thus form a hollow shape strontium iron oxide particle powder (claim 4).
The strontium iron oxide particle powder is characterized by being hollow in shape. The average particle diameter of the strontium iron oxide particle powder is 2 to 100 xcexcm. If it is less than 2 xcexcm or more than 100 xcexcm, its production becomes difficult and thus it is not preferable.
To produce the hollow strontium iron oxide particle powder of the present invention, a mixed aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble strontium compound and an iron compound is first prepared.
The water-soluble strontium compound used in the present invention includes, for example, strontium hydroxide, strontium acetate and strontium nitrate, and these are used singly or in combination of two or more.
The iron compound used in the present invention includes, for example, iron nitrate, iron acetate, iron citrate and iron tartrate, and these are used singly or in combination of two or more.
The mixing ratio of the strontium compound and the iron compound is 0.95 to 1.20 in terms of Sr/Fe molar ratio, especially 1.0. If it is less than 0.95 or more than 1.20, hematite iron oxide or strontium carbonate coexists with the intended strontium iron oxide particle powder so that a particle powder exhibiting a sufficient dielectric constant is difficult to be obtained when formed into an artificial dielectric material utilizing electrical conduction by being dispersed in an organic medium such as a rubber and a synthetic resin.
The concentration of the mixed aqueous solution is preferable in a range of 5 to 30% by weight from the viewpoints of productivity and drying efficiency with a spray dryer in the subsequent step.
Next, a mixed powder is obtained by drying the above-mentioned mixed aqueous solution with a spray dryer. The drying conditions are not specifically limited and it may be conducted according to an ordinary method.
Then, the above-mentioned mixed powder is calcined at 700 to 1000xc2x0 C. in an oxygen-containing gas, preferably in air. If the calcination temperature is lower than 700xc2x0 C., a particle powder exhibiting a sufficient dielectric constant is difficult to be obtained when formed into an artificial dielectric material utilizing conduction by being dispersed in an organic medium such as a rubber. Inversely, if it is higher than 1000xc2x0 C., though a perovskite strontium iron oxide particle powder is obtained, the sintering among particles occurs remarkably so that large impacting force is required in the subsequent grinding step. The calcination time is not specifically limited and usually in a range of 1 to 10 hours.
In the above-mentioned way, a hollow shape strontium iron oxide particle powder, 2 to 100 xcexcm in average particle diameter is obtained. The thus obtained hollow shape strontium iron-oxide particle powder is useful as, for example, an artificial dielectric material, which is prepared by dispersing the hollow shape strontium iron oxide particle powder in an organic medium such as a rubber like neoprene rubber and a synthetic resin like ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polyphenylene sulfide.
The mixing ratio of the strontium iron oxide particle powder of the present invention with the organic medium is preferably in a range of 50 to 90% by weight. If it is less than 50% by weight, a sufficient dielectric constant is not obtained, and inversely, if it is more than 90% by weight, mixing and molding tend to become extremely difficult.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of examples, but the present invention is in no way limited to those examples as long as not exceeding the gist of the present invention.
Meanwhile, the particle shape, the particle diameter and the dielectric constant were measured in the manner as described below:
(1) Particle Shape and Particle Diameter
The particle shape was observed by a transmission electron microscope and the particle diameter was indicated by an average value measured from a transmission electron microscopic photograph.
(2) Dielectric Constant
A strontium iron oxide particle powder and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin are mixed so that the proportion of the oxide particle powder is 85% by weight, and kneaded at 80xc2x0 C. by the use of a plastomill. The obtained mixture was formed into a sheet by the use of double-screw hot rollers heated to 60xc2x0 C. This sheet was punched by the use of a metal mold to obtain a ring-shaped specimen, 38.5 mm in outer diameter and 17 mm in inner diameter. This ring-shaped specimen was inserted into a coaxial line and its dielectric constant was measured at measurement frequencies of 10 MHz, 100 MHz and 1 GHz by the use of Network Analyzer-HP 8753 C manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Inc.